The Cat's Laughter
by Kylunethil
Summary: *Starting to work on this story again!* What happens when a cat gains the power of a Philosopher's Stone? What happens when the 'cat' is the reason that the Stone existed? Al/O.C. EdWin RoyRiza -Rated T just to be safe.-
1. Chapter 1: Introduction

**Chapter 1: The Cat's Laughter (Introduction)**

**12/10/2011 Note: **

**It's been quite a long time (well, for me, anyways.. =P) since I last touched this story. College has been an interesting experience for me so far and my life has been turned upside down more than a few times in the last year and a half. After my second laptop was smashed into about four chunks, I kinda lost my drive to write (since it had ALL of my stories/assignments/random quotes/everything else on it..), but I'm starting to get back into the mood for writing again.  
**

**I recently opened up my notebook from Senior Year (that had all of my assignments for my Creative Writing class) and found this story. It might take me a few weeks to get the feel of it again, but I will most definitely get another chapter posted before the end of this year. (/sarcasm) I'm going to have a blast with re-editing the chapters, since they seem to be having issues.. (/end sarcasm)  
**

**Thanks for reading!**

**~Kylunethil (well, previously Hopesfires.. I just like this new FanFic pen-name a bit more.)  
**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA (I wish that I did!) or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add). _

Ed glared at Al, clenching and unclenching his fists. An empty drawer stood in front of them, conspicuously empty. The telltale red glow of the Philosopher's Stone was absent.

"Al," Ed inquired, "Weren't you here this morning?"

Al's eyes widened as a short "meow.." sounded from outside the door. Ed twitched and spun on his heels, deciding to go looking for the thief. He stooped down to lightly pet the white tabby on her head. Unknown to him, however, was that the cat had accidentally swallowed the Stone earlier.

As the day wore on, Ed and Al left for Central, Ed mumbling underneath his breath about "Mustang this, Mustang that.. Why can't he do his own work?" Al wisely said nothing to him. The tabby walked down to the kitchen and found a small bowl of milk next to the doorway. She purred happily as she began to lap it up. The cat paused a few moments later, her stomach grumbling. Stepping outside, she rolled over in the grass and playfully swatted at a sapphire-hued butterfly. The rustling of the ancient willows was soothing enough to put her into a heavy stupor. She drifted off to sleep in the luxuriant heat of Midsummer's Eve.

Darkness. She was in a void, endlessly falling, the dull flames of some hellish place dimensions beneath her flailing body. Eyes surrounded her as mouthless voices began to shriek and wail. A vast almond-shaped purple eye blinked open beneath her, startling the cat into a brief yowl before slipping through it.

A circular tunnel contorted and flowed around her as she sped towards some unknown destination. Hurtling around a corner, she flew through an ethereal white figure. It beckoned and the cat halted, bobbing like a cork in the middle of the ocean on a brisk morning.

The figure pursed its lips and stated, "I am Truth. Who are you?"

The cat shook her head, "Mrooow.. and I'll tell you, sir!"

Her mouth snapped shut and then flaccidly fell open. Truth held out its hand and she reached out to swat at it. Her emerald eyes opened wide in shock as her paw began to dissolve, the particles floating in the nothingness of the tunnel. She glared daggers at Truth as her essence was pulled free from her body. A lurid red glow marred the white perfection of the tunnel as the Philosopher's Stone was exposed. It throbbed with an errant pulse, bound to the cat's soul. Truth shook its head, growling.

"The alchemists of Amestris must be getting antsy indeed if they have to rely on this corrupting force!" Truth hovered in the air, its arm propping up its blocky chin. "No matter, it will take care of its own. I send you back to your world now, Seren Soulheart! You will be the guiding force in the years to come. Make use of your unique talents."

Truth stepped into the space before the Gate, studying it intently. Stretching an arm out, it snagged Seren's soul and bound it to a body, allowing her personality to shape it. It willed the Gate open and sent Seren along her way.

_Just who is Seren? Expect her character to flesh out as my story progresses. (*Hint* She might know about the origins of the Stone..)_


	2. Chapter 2: Cat's Eye

**Chapter 2: Cat's Eye**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

Al slowly walked away from Gracia Hughes' apartment, his brow furrowed in thought. Sighing, he began to moodily kick at a loose stone on the sidewalk, sending it skittering into a bush. It had only been two long years since Maes Hughes' abrupt death, but each time the anniversary of his death drew near, everybody noticed a pall slip over Mustang and his friends.

Al's ochre-hued eyes were clouded as he reminisced about his travels. It had only been a few short months since Ed had managed to restore Al's body, but he tried to block his memories of the horrid path that they had traveled to obtain it. _At least Brother was able to create a new Circle,_ Al thought. He bounced his ponytail in one hand, reveling again in the fact that he could feel things.

His face brightened as he remembered one key thing about the upcoming weekend: it was Ed's, Winry's, and Elicia's joint birthday party! Winry had gotten tired of running around Amestris every year, so she came up with the idea to lump all of their birthdays together. His step had a slight spring in it as he walked past Central Park. He halted, however, when a chorus of "meows" seemed to greet him. Rushing into the leafy interior of the park, he burst out laughing as he saw a colony of cats jumping around with abandon.

A few kittens walked towards him and he sat down, letting them grow used to him. Finally, a shorthaired black-speckled kitten tentatively pushed his nose into the side of Al's leg. Al couldn't help himself and began to giggle as the kitten rolled over, as if telling Al to scratch him. Al willingly obliged, and soon was covered in cats.

The cats darted off, however, when an unearthly glow began to permeate part of the clearing. Al gaped as the light etched a human transmutation circle into the soft, loamy earth. The glow grew too bright, and Al was forced to shut his eyes. Upon opening them, he sank to his knees in wonderment; a young human female stared at him intently as she was pushed through the circle, clothed in a simple white gown of silk. Al watched as the light gradually faded. The female was looking every which way at once, as if trying to gather her bearings before running off.

Al softly called out, "Who are you?"

Her silver hair softly fell over her exquisitely shaped features, amethyst eyes peering at Al mischievously. She stood up and stretched, flexing her slim muscles. Al sighed as the waif began to walk around, basking in the glory of the day. After a few minutes, however, he decided to stand. The girl darted away from him with an impish grin, as if beckoning him to chase her. Al sighed and ran after her. The cats began to make their way back into the clearing as the female left.

At the center of the park was a broad pool. A stone bridge arched over it, and Al found the girl dancing along its side. He waved at her as she noticed him, and she sat down, feet hanging over the edge of the bridge as she stared into the pool. Al carefully walked closer to her, and sighed as he leaned against the rail a few feet away.

He asked again, "Who are you?"

The girl cocked her head at him and grinned before simply saying, "My name is Seren."

Al gave a start upon hearing her voice; it was as musical as the wind blowing through the chimes that Pinako Rockbell had set up in the tree outside her house.

Seren asked, "What is your name?"

Al stuttered as he replied, "M-My name? I'm Alphonse Elric!"

Seren tapped a finger against her lips, as if thinking. She shook her head, not recognizing his name. Al grew vaguely annoyed at this, since everybody in Amestris knew of the Elric Brothers!

Al sniffed perfunctorily as he stated, "The Fullmetal Alchemist seems to be getting shorter, hasn't he?"

Seren shrugged and began to walk off. Troubled, Al rushed after her, but stopped as he heard frantic hissing from a young oak tree. A frightened kitten swatted at a snake that held back just out of the feline's reach. Al gasped and immediately ran at the tree, barely noticing Seren thoughtfully staring after him. He clapped his hands as he reached the base of the tree and thrust them into the cracked trunk. Blue light flashed and Al watched in grim satisfaction as the snake was impaled by a splinter of wood that rapidly grew beneath it.

He raced up the tree and gently scooped the kitten into the palm of his hand. He murmured soft words to her and smiled as she began to sleepily blink her eyes. Carefully climbing back down the tree, he held aloft his prize. Seren clapped her hands excitedly and let out a lilting laugh. Al sat against the base of the tree and stroked the kitten's head until she finally nodded off to sleep. Seren blanched as a forgotten memory rose out of the depths of her mind. She remembered a hand petting her on the head vaguely, as if seen through a shield of clouded ice. Troubled, she sat next to Al and fell asleep, her head lightly resting against his chest.

_Is Seren the person who Al will fall in love with? Will the kitten turn out to be.. Envy? (Not really.. Envy already would've died from the amount of mushiness..)_


	3. Chapter 3: Falling Upside Down

**Chapter 3: Falling Upside Down**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add). _

Al stifled a yawn as he woke up, the night breeze softly flowing over the fallen leaves of Central Park. He began to sit up, but stopped as he felt a weight on his midsection. Seren was slumbering peacefully next to him, her head laying across his stomach. He smiled as her silver hair caught the moonlight and amplified it. The kitten, sensing movement, began to purr throatily. Seren stirred restlessly for a moment before waking up, her eyes sparkling in the starlight.

"Hi." Seren shyly murmured.

Al cocked his head at her and grinned as he replied, "We've gone and slept the day away! I'm surprised that Brother and Winry haven't gone off looking for me."

Seren glanced around at their surroundings and shrugged as she began to get up. Al picked up the kitten and held it in his palms as he walked with Seren towards the lit pathways of the Park, absently feeding the kitten a few strips of dried elk jerky. Distant chatter sounded from various points around them as they walked towards the eastern exit. Seren nudged Al with a delicate elbow and motioned for the kitten. He handed her to Seren, who began to rub her nose against the kittens'. The kitten was soon purring while Al and Seren began to chuckle.

Al nonchalantly asked, "Where were you born? I have never seen anybody who looks quite like you, except for a friend named Rose in Liore."

Seren abruptly stiffened and hesitated before replying, "I.. I don't know. I can't remember anything from before today."

Al thought for a second, and then sighed. Seeing a living human rise from a human transmutation circle had been enough to send chills down his spine. Suddenly, a thought crossed Al's mind. If Seren had came through the Circle, she also had to of passed through the Gate!

Al mumbled, "I wonder if Truth wants to see me. It's been awhile since I last saw it!"

Seren stumbled over her foot and looked at Al in shock, her hands defensively held in front of her as the kitten perched on her shoulder with her back arched. Al paused at this, noting the particularly intense reaction and storing it in his mind for later contemplation.

Seren growled, "How do you know of Truth?"

Al hesitated before replying, "My body was taken away from me when my brother and I tried to resurrect our mother. It failed, however." His face fell dejectedly.

Seren mumbled, "This isn't your real body?"

Al chuckled before replying, "This body is, but the suit of armor that my soul was bound to sure wasn't!"

Seren halted, her eyes clouded as dim memories began to float through her mind. She remembered a soft voice calling to her when she was hurt and telling her that everything would be alright. Al turned around to ask why she had stopped walking, but grew pale upon seeing her and walked over to her, resting his hand on her shoulder. The kitten cried out piteously as Seren began to slump to the ground. Al steadied her and sat, wondering what had happened.

He grabbed the kitten and put her lower end in his pocket before gently stroking Seren's hair. Her eyes burst open and focused on Al. Confusion twisted her face as she ground her palm into her forehead and shuddered. She slowly sat up and resting her head on her outstretched fingers, massaging her temples.

Al asked, "Are you alright?"

Seren looked away for a brief moment before replying, "I-I think so. Can we go get something to eat? I'm starving."

Al stared at her for a brief moment before nodding. She was obviously lying, but he didn't want to press Seren for information. She would tell him when she was ready to. _I really don't think that she even knows what happened yet herself_, Al thought.

"How about Madame Christmases'? There's a bar, but the food is still pretty decent."

Seren's eyes lit up hungrily at the mention of food and she nodded enthusiastically, "Sure!"

They walked next to each other on the sidewalk, not quite touching, but close enough for the casual observer to stop in his tracks and swear up and down that Al was a lucky guy. Seren grew slightly flustered at all of the looks that were directed at her and drew nearer to Al, clawing at his hand. Al, who had grown used to the stares and catcalls during his lonely years of traveling with his brother, patted Seren's hand.

Al grinned in a kindly manner as he told Seren, "Relax! If anything, most of the people are jealous of me."

Seren coolly glanced at Al and frostily began, "Just what is that supposed to mea.. Oh."

Her face became slightly rose-tinged as she realized that Al was giving her a compliment. Al chuckled as they passed a mirrored window and Seren was finally able to see her reflection. Smoothing the plaits of her skirt, she twirled and giggled as Al watched her, awestruck. Walking back up to Al, Seren held out her hand. Al took it and they began to continue on the path towards Madame's Bar, cheerfully smiling. The kitten glanced between Al and Seren and began to purr, eventually nodding off to sleep.

_Who do you think is going to be at the bar? It shouldn't be too hard to guess! What will Mustang try to do when Al's back is turned?_


	4. Chapter 4: Landing Right Side Up

**Chapter 4: Landing Right Side Up**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

Two people stood outside of Christmases' Bar, talking to each other. Al stopped dead in his tracks at the sight of them, idly wondering in the back of his mind if he should run away. Riza Hawkeye leaned slightly against a bench, long blonde hair hanging beneath her slim shoulders, uncharacteristically arguing with Armstrong about something. As Al and Seren drew near the two arguing friends, they were able to hear the conversation quite clearly.

Riza seemed to be at wit's end as she snapped at Armstrong, "I'm tired of this happening each year. Sure, I miss him too, but this is just taking it too far!"

Armstrong had been waving his arms in a placating manner the entire time, "But, Riz.."

Riza's amber eyes flashed dangerously as she sighed and stated wearily, "No, Alex. Please don't continue."

Armstrong nodded and patted her shoulder with a great hand. Riza looked at Alex and her eyes slightly softened. The door to the bar opened as a patron stumbled out and began to blearily peer for his ride. Riza stiffened, but realized that it wasn't Mustang. Armstrong, Al, and Seren gaped as Riza slipped her gun back into her boot. They hadn't seen her draw it.

Riza turned on her heels to walk off, but stopped with one foot over the other as her gaze fell upon Al and Seren. She let out a short gasp of surprise, deeply echoed by Armstrong and began to walk towards them. Seren stood her ground, watching Riza cautiously.

Riza exclaimed, "Al, where have you been? Ed nearly tore apart Central trying to find you earlier. Who is your friend?"

Al shuffled his feet around before saying, "I was in Central Park helping a few stray cats out when I met Seren. She.." His mouth snapped shut as Seren trod on his foot, hardly.

Seren giggled as Al danced around on one foot, the kitten hanging on for dear life. Armstrong cocked his head at the odd sight and chuckled behind his hand, and even Riza let a slight smile burst through her serious demeanor. Seren held out her hand to Riza, who took it. Turning to Armstrong, she curtseyed. Alex gave a deep bow in return.

"As Al just mentioned, my name is Seren," She paused as Hawkeye and Armstrong gave a brief start at the sound of her voice and glance at each other before continuing, "I can't remember anything from more than a few hours ago. However, it feels as if I had already met Al before, in some murky dream."

Seren trailed off softly, her eyes unfocused as she stared off into the distance. Al noticed Riza and Armstrong murmuring to each other, but couldn't make out what they were saying. He shrugged at them when they noticed him staring and gently shook Seren's shoulder, breaking her out of her reverie. She came back to reality with a soft sigh, leaning against Al. Riza motioned for Armstrong to move along and return to Headquarters. As Al and Seren waved goodbye to them, Riza turned back around to face them.

She murmured, "Goodnight, Elric. Goodnight.." She stopped talking and blinked a few times.

Seren swiftly interjected, "Soulheart, Seren Soulheart."

Riza nodded briefly and began to walk away. Al heard a curious noise behind him and jumped into the air as Black Hayate burst out of the foliage, barking excitedly. Seren watched as Riza made a slight hand gesture to the dog that sent him running around the corner. She glanced at Seren for a moment, seeming to grin. Seren waved farewell to Armstrong again and turned back to look at Al, her eyes sparkling with merriment.

Al muttered, "Black Hayate usually isn't that playful. Shall we?"

Seren hooked her elbow through Al's arm and dragged him to the door. He opened it, and they stepped inside.

_**-Spacer.-**_

Riza stopped walking once the two had finally entered the bar. Armstrong leaned against the side of a building, dutifully cleaning his metal gauntlets, while Riza braced her hands against a metal lantern pole, as if trying to push her thoughts out of her mind. Black Hayate nudged against her knee, softly whining. She gave a half-hearted smile and leaned down to hug him. His tail thumped rapidly against the ground as he looked at Armstrong. Alex cocked his head at the protective dog and sighed, his chest threatening to burst the seams of his shirt.

Armstrong asked, "Have you ever seen another lady who looked like that, Riza?"

Riza thought for a moment and shook her head. She stood back up and wrapped her hand around her chin, thinking. "No, I haven't seen anybody else who looks quite like that. She seemed to have an air of mystery about her, however. We should try to pay attention to her when we can."

Armstrong growled, "Bah, let her fear my gorgeous muscles! She will.."

Riza flipped the safety of her gun off and pointed it at Armstrong. She cocked her head to one side and stated, "You will not hug her. Understood? We don't want her to run away, as it seems as if Al has finally found somebody interesting for himself, hopefully."

Armstrong burst out immediately, "Aye, Sir! I wish only the best for the Elric brothers!"

Riza thrust her gun back into her boot. Alex watched her apprehensively; he still hadn't seem her draw it! Riza blanched as a thought occurred to her.

"Alex?"

"Ya?"

"We didn't tell him about Ed, did we?"

Armstrong's face fell. He glanced at Riza while beginning to slowly shuffle away. "Uhh.. Nope."

Riza closed her eyes and sighed. "I thought not. He'll find out soon enough, though."

Armstrong nodded and they began to make their way back towards Headquarters, both lost in their thoughts. Black Hayate trailed after them, nipping at their heels whenever one of them stopped.

_**-Spacer.-**_

The sound of plates crashing resounded in the comfortably lit bar brought everybody to a halt, looking at the doorway. The barmaid, her face blushing furiously, ran off in search of a broom. Al glanced around uneasily; this was not what he had had in mind. Mustang sat in a chair at the bar, a growing mountain of glasses strewn about in front of him, loudly proclaiming his love for fine women. He was obviously drunk. Fuery, Breda and Falman sat at a table near Mustang, their faces despondent. As they saw Al, however, they brightened. Al walked over, still holding Seren's hand, and drew out a seat for her. She nodded her thanks as he pulled over another chair for himself.

Al whispered, "Is he like this everytime the anniversary comes around?"

The three members of Mustang's gang nodded, expressions ranging from sorrow to abject disgust.

Al sighed and growled, I'm going to go order some food. I'll be right back."

As he left the table, Mustang noticed the movement and swung around to see where he had came from. His jaw dropped open upon seeing Seren. Falman, Fuery and Breda groaned as they saw their superior's enraptured face and began to mutter as he stumbled over to their table.

Mustang slurred, "And jusst who are you, my pretty lady?"

Seren glared at Mustang, a sneer of contempt curling one side of her lip. Mustang thought that she was smiling, and sat down in the chair that Al had vacated, mesmerized. He began to reach out his hand towards her, but stopped as a glass of ale thunked him over the head. Looking around, his gaze finally settled upon Al's snarling visage.

Mustang mumbled, "Stay away Elric, I just want to talk."

Al growled, "Don't bother, Roy. I have never seen a person fall so far into grief that he decides to take it upon himself to alienate all of his friends everytime the day comes around when his friend had died. I don't know why Riza puts up with you."

Everybody except for Seren sucked in their breaths; Al had never been rude to anybody else before. Al visibly paled upon thinking about what he had just said, but stood resolute. Mustang's face turned black with anger as he tried to stand up. Slipping on the puddle of ale, he dropped back into his seat. Feeling as if everybody was laughing at him, he raised a hand and held it towards Al.

Seren whispered to Feury, "What is he doing?"

Feury's face went blank in shock as he frantically whispered, "He's the Flame Alchemist, and one of the higher ranking members of the military!"

Seren's jaw dropped and she let out a short, "Oh."

Al motioned for everybody to move away as Mustang whipped his arm forward, fingers sliding against each other. Just as he was about to snap, Seren reached over and placed her hand on his arm. Purple light flared out, flickered, and died. Mustang snapped his fingers, but nothing happened. As all of the eyes turned to Seren, she gave a wavering grin before collapsing to the floor, the last thing she heard was Al's cries for help.

_What did Seren just do? How will she be able to explain herself? Just __**who**__ is she?_


	5. Chapter 5: The Flame Returns

**Chapter 5: The Flame Returns**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

She floated in a timeless void, yearning for contact with another being. She didn't know how long she had been in there, or even what her name was. Two doors stood before her and neither was open. Muffled sounds reached her as she raced over to one of the doors and heard cryptic voices whispering.

An emotionless voice stated right behind her, "Hello, my dear. Why are you back here?"

Her memories came crashing down upon her as Truth spoke. Seren gasped as her tumultuous thoughts flowed through her mind, filling in the empty spaces. She shuddered, remembering what had occurred at the bar, still not quite understanding what had happened.

Seren whispered in a quavering voice, "I-I.. I don't know! I touched the Flame Alchemists' arm, a purple light surrounded him, and I drifted off into unconsciousness after seeing that Al was safe."

Truth materialized in front of her, still sitting in midair. Its blocky teeth were showing as it grinned at Seren.

Truth's voice had an undertone of laughter as it stated, "You still don't fully understand just who you are, do you? A pity. You'll find out soon enough, though."

Seren glanced at Truth and murmured, "You know who I am? Could you tell.. No, don't. I need to learn this by myself. I seem to recall that you have a nasty habit of requiring an equivalent exchange for any knowledge that you give out."

Truth began to chuckle. "See! Things are already coming back to you! Now, are you ready to return back to your world?"

Seren placed her hands over her face and let out a deep sigh. "Yes, Truth. I'm ready."

A set of doors slowly swung open, the one that Seren had heard the voices behind. Sinuous black hands stretched out and wrapped around her legs and arms. As she was forcibly turned around, she felt a breath of air sliding against her neck.

Truth whispered, "I will tell you one thing: stay away from those who bear the mark of Ouroboros. They probably won't be able to hurt you too seriously, but there isn't any reason to dance on a knife's edge, is there?"

Seren nodded slowly and closed her eyes. She was dragged through the Gate. As the doors gradually closed, Truth dropped to the ground and traced two of the runes. They seemed to glow softly for a moment and faded back to dark stone.

Truth whispered, "Malkuth and Da'at is it? Maybe she can save them from themselves. Even I can't see that far."

_**-Spacer.-**_

Al rested his head against the back of the chair he was sitting in. His thoughts were still madly dancing around. _Why, of all people, was it Seren who was able to channel alchemy without drawing a circle or clapping her hands? _He shook his head, not wanting to think any further on it. A rustle from the nearby bed snapped him back to full attention as he jumped from his seat. Seren curled over on her side and let out a deep breath. _I wonder when she's going to wake up, _Al thought.

_At least the kitten is safe_. While walking away from the bar a little girl had been crying over her missing kitty. At the sound of her voice, the kitten began to squirm in Al's pocket, meowing. The little girl ran up to him in surprise, her eyes alight with joy. Handing the kitten over to her, he waved at the girl's mother. She curtseyed to him and went on her way, chuckling at the antics of the excited kitten. _Thankfully, somebody was happy last night,_ Al fondly thought.

"Hey, Al. What happened?" Al stiffened upon hearing Mustang's voice.

He turned around to view the Colonel, trying to keep his face from slipping into a glare. Mustang sat part of the way up, toying with his silver pocketwatch.

Al sighed and said, "You don't remember?"

"Nope. All that comes to my mind is entering Madame Christmases' and sitting at the bar. Everything is a blur after that until right now."

Al thought for a second. _Probably because of all that stuff that you drank. _The door softly creaked open and Riza, Breda, Falman, Fuery, and Armstrong walked in. The four men stood grouped near the door while Riza walked over to stand near Al. Al shied away from her; her eyes seemed to be spitting out amber flame.

Riza leaned closer to Mustang and murmured, "Sir, what have you gotten yourself into this time?"

Mustang shrugged and replied, "I don't know. I was just asking Al here the same thing."

Riza glanced at Al, her gaze softening as she noticed his distraught visage. Motioning for him to follow her, they walked into a corner of the room.

Riza whispered, "Al, you seem to know what's going on. The three others who were with you claim to not be able to remember anything from last night." She glared at them for a moment before turning her face back to Al.

Al shrugged his shoulders and sighed. "It isn't my burden to.." He blinked as a thought occurred to him. _Maybe I was protected from whatever Seren did?_ He continued, "I myself don't really know what happened. Mustang was about to light me on fire when Seren reached out and grabbed his arm. There was a purple light and once it faded, Mustang snapped his fingers. Nothing happened."

Riza stiffened, shock registering across her face. She turned around to view the slumbering Seren. Seren still slept curled on her side, her silver hair lightly falling over her face. _She just doesn't look capable of that amount of power, _Riza thought. _Then again, I never thought that a young boy would be able to become a State.. _Riza stopped thinking for a brief second, remembering what she had forgotten to tell Al.

"Al?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Hawkeye?"

"Your brother is also here."

Al's eyes lit up for a brief second. He excitedly said, "Really? Where is he?"

Hawkeye hesitated before answering. "Al, he didn't come here to meet you. He's down the hall, if you want to go see him."

Al's face froze as he faintly asked, "What happened to Brother?"

Riza gazed up at him, sympathy in her eyes. "You'll have to ask him. It seems as if yesterday was a day of secrets. However, I will hold what you told me about Seren to myself. No need for anybody else to know what happened until she herself can tell us."

With those cryptic messages, she walked back over to Mustang, softly talking to him. Al glanced at everybody in the room before rushing out, his face fearful. Armstrong peered at Riza out of the corner of his eye, catching her unspoken command. Nodding, he left the room and followed Al.

_**-Spacer.-**_

As the door slammed shut, Riza slowly drew her gun, so that everybody could see.

Staring into Mustang's eyes, she said, "With all due respect, Sir, you're going to listen to me once and for all. I can't let you go on destroying yourself."

Mustang closed his eyes and nodded. Breda, Fuery, and Falman glanced at each other, wondering what Riza was about to say. She beckoned them closer.

"Yes, I want you three to listen to me, too. Roy needs to know that his friends are there for him, even the Fullmetal Pipsqueak." As everybody glanced at her in amazement, she grinned and said, "What, I can't have a little fun at Ed's expense? I heard Al talking about how Envy calls his brother that."

The men let out a tense chuckle and sighed. Riza rolled her eyes and holstered her gun, pressing one hand against her hip. Mustang looked at her in curiosity; she had never physically shown her emotions like that before in front of others! Riza, feeling Roy's gaze upon her, snapped to attention and tried to ignore the question in his eyes.

She stated, "I have no wish to work under a man who puts his dead friend in front of the living. It just isn't healthy. I've known you for how many years now, Roy? You have never been the one to back down when it seemed as if all was lost. Remember that feeling. You need to break free of your sorrows and come back to us. You'll die alone in the end if you follow this path."

Mustang gave a start as she talked. The men glanced at each other in shock as Riza closed her eyes and sighed. No, she had _never _been this vocal about any other subject before! Riza seemed to have misgivings about what she had just said and turned away from Mustang, rubbing at her eyes.

Roy coughed slightly, bringing Riza out of her innermost thoughts. He grasped her hand and said in a clear voice, "I promise, Riza. I'm sorry for letting you down. I'll try to not let it happen again."

Riza sighed, pulling herself away from Roy. She walked to the door and opened it. At its threshold, she turned around to stare at Mustang with a penetrating look.

"There won't be a next time if you do. I'll see you at work tomorrow, don't slack off on the paperwork!"

Roy gasped once the door had slammed shut.

"Did she just say that?"

Breda grinned and said, "Riza has spirit, that's for sure!"

Fuery and Falman nodded in agreement. Mustang thought for a moment and nodded, too. He tapped his finger against his chin, a mischievous look etching itself across his face. Breda, Falman and Fuery backed away, not liking the new look on Roy's face.

Roy closed his eyes and said, "Want to help me with the paperwork?"

The only sound that there was in the room was silence, and then the door slamming shut. Mustang chuckled, pulling the pillow back over his eyes. Sighing once more, he fell back asleep. Seren stirred restlessly for a brief moment, shuddering at some unseen dream. She slackened for a bit and nodded back off to sleep.

_Riza sure seems to be showing some emotion! What happened to Ed? Will we finally learn about Seren's past?_


	6. Chapter 6: The Small Things Matter

**Chapter 6: The Small Things Matter**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

"Al, slow down!"

Al stopped his mad scramble down the hall and waited for Armstrong to catch up. He began tapping his foot impatiently as Alex appeared to run through of a list of things inside his head to talk about.

Armstrong sighed before saying, "Your brother is alright now, if you wanted to know. He just had a slight accident late yesterday."

Al nodded and started down the hall again, Armstrong tagging along behind him. As they rounded a corridor in the hospital, Al spied a familiar face seated a short ways down, her head in her hands. As they drew closer, Winry lifted her face. _Her eyes don't seem to be red from crying, but then again, I don't know how long she's been here, _Al thought. Winry jumped up from her seat and ran towards Al, nearly knocking him over.

Winry seemed to sob as she said, "I don't really know what happened. Ed and I were arguing about his automail always getting beat up, so I decided to run after him with a wrench. He stopped running away from me for a few seconds, his mouth slowly dropping open. I heard him mumbling something about 'Why is there another Circle here?' before I hit him in the back of the head."

Al cocked his head at Winry. Winry shrugged, her face slightly flushed.

He asked, "Do you know how late it was when this happened?"

Winry shook her head, but Armstrong replied, "By my reckoning, it was around five hours after noontime."

_That was around the time that the Gate appeared,_ Al thought. _I wonder how Brother was able to sense it?_ He pondered upon the situation for a few moments before catching wisps of a conversation from inside the room. Al pointed at the door, his eyebrow rising. Winry listened to the muffled words, trying to make sense of them.

".. If you don't drink the milk, you'll stay short, Ed!"

Armstrong, Al, and Winry winced as a glass object slammed against the wall inside the room, shattering.

Ed snarled, "Who did you call so small that he has to rely on that disgusting liquid in order to grow larger?"

The other voice dryly said, "You just did."

Winry let out a short giggle while Al and Armstrong grinned. They could envision Ed's confounded face. There was an audible sigh from within the room as the door opened. A doctor walked out, ruefully scratching his chin with his clipboard. Noticing the trio standing in a group a short distance from him, he shook his head.

"I don't know how he manages to walk away each time after getting hurt, but it always seems to happen." The doctor put his head into the room momentarily and cheerfully stated, "Maybe short people heal just heal faster!"

He shut the door shortly before what sounded like a plate broke against it. Winry was redfaced from trying to hold her laughter in, lest Ed hear her. The doctor wrote a few notes on his clipboard before sighing and holding it in the crook of his arm. He walked over to Armstrong and shook Alex's hand.

"Thanks for bringing Fullmetal in, Alex. I'll write off his accident as an act of nature." He peered at Winry with a jaundiced eye, prompting her to turn around before she chuckled. Lifting his face to the ceiling briefly, he rolled his eyes and continued, "I don't want to see anybody here for awhile again, okay?"

He sighed as they all nodded. Waving to the group, he continued on down the hall and turned the corner. Al cocked his head at Winry; she was trembling. Right as he was about to shake her, she burst out laughing and ran towards the door, slipping inside.

"Hey Shorty!"

Ed growled, "What did you just say, Automail freak?"

Al and Armstrong glanced at each other and they both sighed. Riza joined them shortly after and they all looked at the door as Winry and Ed began to yell at each other.

Al aridly stated, "Seriously hurt, huh? It sure doesn't seem like it."

Riza sighed as she said, "You can never tell with Ed."

Al thought for a second and wholeheartedly agreed. Hearing footsteps, the trio spot the doctor running back towards them, his face pale. He stopped in front of them, trying to catch his breath.

After a few moments, he straightened and coughed, "You came in with that silver-haired girl, right?"

Al nodded, his face already turning a sickly hue.

"You need to go see her. Something is wrong."

Ed glanced up in annoyance at the door. He could hear people talking about something and what sounded like the doctor trying to gasp something out, but he couldn't quite make out what was being said. Winry opened the door in order to ask what was wrong, but stopped when Al let out a sharp cry and began to run back down the corridor, Riza and Armstrong following him.

Winry ran over to Ed's bedside and grabbed his boots, shoving them onto his feet. Ed slowly stood up, testing his weight. Satisfied that Winry hadn't destroyed his sense of balance, he rushed out of the room. Winry held back for a few moments, blinking in surprise.

She murmured to nobody in particular, "I guess he doesn't realize that he's wearing a hospital gown."

Looking around the room, she spied a pile of his clothes, neatly folded. Shaking her head, Winry bundled the clothes up in Ed's coat and walked out the door. As she followed the voices echoing down the hallway, a package slipped from the coat. Winry picked it up, eying it. It was hastily wrapped in oiled parchment, as if the person handing it over had been under a very short deadline and grabbed the first thing next to him. Turning the item over, Winry discovered a note written in Ed's handwriting. Looking around, she furtively lifted the gum sealing the note shut and began to read.

_Winry,_

_Seeing as to how you lost your last wrench, _

_I went to the trouble of buying you a new one._

_Thanks for going to all of the trouble to help me_

_I _(The line is heavily crossed out)_.._

_Yours Truly,_

_Ed_

_P.S. You owe me 400 Cenz for the wrench._

Winry read the note over again, smiling. _Trust the lunkhead to cross out what I've been waiting to hear from him for awhile now_, she thought. Replacing the gum on the note, she continued on her path. It seemed ominously quiet, however. She frowned and hurried on, discarding ideas on how to apologize to Ed for what had happened yesterday along the way.

_What was it that Ed scribbled out? Why was Winry happy about it (Don't kill me, kind reviewers, i beg you!)? What is wrong with Seren or Mustang?_

_All (or at least part) will be revealed in the next chapter, _**The Beginning Revelations**_!_


	7. Chapter 7: The Beginning Revelations

**Chapter 7: The Beginning Revelations**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

**A/N: **If I do say so myself, I'm in love with this particular piece of writing.

**A/N#2: **Yes, this is a flashback before anybody asks.

_Xerxes is a beautiful place_, Seren thought dreamily. She stood at one of the balconies of her father's palace, watching the birds in her personal garden frolic in the fountain. At thirteen summers, she was of marrying age, but she had no wish to lose her sense of adventure quite yet. There had only been one sole escape from the lifelong devotion of a binding marriage; the study of alchemy. Looking back, she sighed, remembering how her father had seemed disappointed in her for not continuing their bloodline with a candidate that he had chosen.

Seren loved King Xerxes dearly, as only a single daughter of a great nation possibly could. Her mother had passed on when she was little due to mysterious circumstances, and they had left their marks on her father. As he aged, he grew afraid of death. _Still_, Seren thought, _I can't blame him for that, my unborn brother passed on along with her. _The glorious spring sunrise seemed less bright as she turned in on herself, letting her memories take over.

She broke out of her reverie, however, when the door to her chambers burst open and her Master strode in, golden eyes flaming. He bowed as he stepped onto her balcony, clearly impatient. Seren slowly dropped into a curtsey, her mind racing. _What did I do this time?_

As if sensing her thoughts, the monk stated, "You haven't done anything yet. Indeed, far from it. It's what you haven't done that I'm worried about, your Highness!"

Seren thought for a second, twirling a strand of her silver hair around a finger. Her amethyst eyes were clouded as she tried to remember what it was that she had been working on. _It isn't running water, we have that.. It sure isn't heating, we have all we need of that!_ Her gaze fell upon the outskirts of the city, taking in the hazy desert. She snapped her fingers, finally remembering.

She gleefully stated, "It was a way to improve our alchemy, right, Master?"

Master slapped a hand against his forehead and let it slide down to eye level. For the space it would take for a person to slowly count to ten, he remained silent. With an obvious amount of effort, he opened his eyes and grinned at Seren.

"Yes, your Highness. Is a certain somebody distracting you from your work?"

Seren blushed at this. Of course not! He was a slave; Slave Number 23 to be precise. Royalty and slaves just didn't mix! However, she did admit that she enjoyed talking to him. In the midst of power, he found it to be his duty to follow all orders faithfully. Sighing, she turned back around to face Master.

"I believe that I know how to create such a force, Master. It will require a special component, however."

Master's eyes widened in shock as he exclaimed, "Really? How is that possible, your Highness?"

Seren thought for a second and shook her head, stating, "I wish to talk to my father about this before I act upon it. I will inform you when I have his assent to act."

Master nodded his head, trusting in his young pupil. If any citizen of Xerxes had had the opportunity to create such a force, it would be one of the royal house. Bowing, he walked back to her door and left.

Seren leaned back against the balcony, sighing. _I just lied to Master, _she thought morosely. _I don't need my father's permission at all. I'm just too frightened to act upon my research!_

She watched as a golden dragonfly sailed past her on silent wings. It fled into her room, excitedly flying around and exploring this new world. As it drew nearer to a corner, however, it became stuck. Its attempt to pull free of the sticky web that held it only drew the creature who had created the trap. Seren watched as the spider injected its poison into the dragonfly and began to shroud the twitching insect in a skein of filaments. That done, the spider settled down to feast.

Seren shuddered, unwilling to believe that something like that had occurred at such a time. _Was it pure coincidence, _she thought_, or was it my destiny? _Leaving her thoughts unanswered, she swept out of her chambers, searching for Master and a few of the other royal house alchemists.

_**-Spacer.-**_

Slave Number 23 sat strapped to a rough wooden plank, eyes averted from the sharp tools that some of the alchemists held in their hands. He could hear a feminine voice speaking from a distance, but he couldn't place who it was that was talking. Sighing, he contented himself with listening to what they were saying.

"My research has lead me to believe that this form of energy can only be harnessed by a willing participant. I hold no doubts that this will succeed, but even I don't know what form this new type of energy will take. Shall we proceed?"

A few voices murmured their assent. One of the alchemists placed a black scarf over Number 23's head, gently tying the fabric into a knot.

The feminine voice was much closer to his ears as she asked, "Are you comfortable, Number 23?"

He nodded, trying to fight down his rising panic. At an unspoken command his left arm was restrained and a sharp object placed on his forearm.

Just as the alchemist wielding the knife was about to draw first blood, Number 23 asked, "Will this hurt?"

The feminine voice let out a short gasp, and hesitated before replying, "Yes, but I will bandage your arm after." Her voice was steely as she commanded, "Proceed."

_**-Spacer.-**_

The pain was soon over, and Seren was true to her word. After making sure that Number 23 had not suffered any lasting wounds, she turned around to face the alchemist who held the flask of blood. Nodding, she pointed at a raised stone dais, slightly hollowed in the center. The alchemist gingerly placed the flask in its resting spot as Number 23 was lead out of the room, still blindfolded.

Seren looked at him briefly before turning to the task at hand. She ran a finger over the alchemical array engraved into the stone at her feet. The alchemists shuffled out one by one, until only Master remained, face grave as he peered at Seren. She looked decidedly pale as she waved at him to continue; any mistakes at this part of the process would more than likely result in death. Master gazed at her for one long moment before closing his eyes and walking out of the room, softly shutting the door behind him.

Seren checked her notes one last time to make sure that she hadn't missed any steps. Not finding any mistakes in her array, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and released it. Tranquility fell upon her soon afterwards, and she smiled as the glow of her alchemic aura brightened. The flickering purple flame came into being first, wrapping her in a sheath of warm energy. Tendrils of sky blue ice inched their way into the mist, seemingly melting into it. As the two colors danced around each other, silver sparks of lightning fell down around her. Wrapped in her power, she walked over to stand in front of the stone altar.

Sighing, Seren murmured, "To you, mother. I only wish that I could have shared my life with you more."

She clapped and sighed as her aura flowed down her arms, etching a symbol into the backs of her hands. Drawing her arms slightly apart, she knelt to the ground. For a moment, her face was twisted in indecision. _What will happen to me if this rebounds?_ Her features sharpened; no, there could be no doubt, only action. She placed her hands upon the array and waited for it to activate.

As the array glimmered fitfully, the alchemical reaction took hold. Dust began to swirl around the corners of the room as the flask trembled in its resting spot. The glow became too bright for Seren, so she closed her eyes and waited for the end to come.

_**-Spacer.-**_

Light began to reach out from underneath the door, as if trying to escape. Master grimaced in anguish as a piercing scream rose from the laboratory. The alchemists around him shuddered, wondering what had befallen their Princess. Abruptly, however, the scream died off and with it, the light. Master could only expect the worst as he jumped towards the door and pulled it open.

He saw Seren slumped next to the altar, her aura still flickering fitfully. Grabbing a torch, he struck a flint against one of the walls and waited for it to burst into life. As the room became illuminated, all of the alchemists gasped. The flask still stood upon the dais, but instead of blood, it was filled with a murky darkness. Master stood next to it, trying to figure out what was inside it. As his hand neared the cork, however, a hand clutched his ankle. He glanced down in surprise as Seren began to pull herself up.

She coughed weakly before whispering, "Don't remove the stopper. It is the only think preventing the life form inside from escaping."

With that, she drifted off into the realm of unconsciousness. Master bent down to pick her up, worried at her pale complexion. Setting her down on the table that had been used earlier in the day to restrain Slave Number 23, he smoothed her hair back from her face and kissed her upon her forehead. Steeling himself, he walked back towards the flask.

Feeling slightly foolish, but not wanting to doubt Seren's words, Master asked, "What are you?"

The darkness resolved into the spherical form of a dark gas cloud. An arm and tail sprouted from its side and began to explore its prison. Finally, a mouth formed, and along with it, a single purple eye. Master gasped as he realized that the creature inside the flask had Seren's eye color; unique to her people and a good omen.

A disembodied voice dully echoed from within the flask, "You can call me Homunculus, for that is who I am."

_Did I seriously just write about the creation of Father? What will happen to Seren? Next time in Chapter 8: The Forgotten Life._


	8. Chapter 8: The Forgotten Life

**Chapter 8: The Forgotten Life**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

**A**/**N**: _I think I tied my OCs' history back into the main storyline of FMA. (Woot, I ended this chapter with the words that Homunculus spoke to Number 23!)_

The weeks passed by as the court marveled at Seren's creation. After their initial shock at the life form within the flask, they began to accept it. King Xerxes was drawn in by Homunculus; both desired power. As the days dragged on, they were seen closeted away in some corner of the palace, discussing the various forms of energy that mortals could freely tap into. Seren was happy during this time, as everybody praised her of her great work. This time of tranquility wouldn't last, however.

_**-Spacer.-**_

Homunculus sighed as it watched King Xerxes piecing together a new alchemical array. As his scribes furiously wrote down his new circles, Homunculus decided to spice things up.

"Master?"

King Xerxes looked up from his table, moderately displeased as he said, "Yes, Dwarf?"

Homunculus seemed to freeze at this, as if seething. Its voice was steady as it asked, "Why haven't you created a circle that uses the life force of humans to power it?"

Xerxes cocked his head at Homunculus, his eyes clouded in thought. Tapping a slender finger against his temple, he began to nod.

Glancing at the doorway, he ordered, "Guard, fetch me one of the prisoners from Xing."

The guard saluted and ran off to do his lord's bidding. Xerxes shuffled over to a clear space on the ground and studied a few of his previous designs. Picking one, he held it in front of the flask.

Homunculus agreed and said, "Yes, Master."

Xerxes snapped his fingers at two of the scribes and commanded, "Draw this array exactly as it is laid out on the parchment. No mistakes will be tolerated."

The two scribes glanced at each other for a moment before bowing to their King. They set down their notes and began to trace the circle on the stone floor. As the minutes slowly dragged on, the guard returned with the Xingese prisoner. As the scribes finished drawing the circle, Xerxes beckoned the guard forward.

"Place the prisoner in the center of the array."

The prisoner sat down on the floor, looking away from everybody else in the room. King Xerxes knelt at the edge of the array, studying the runes. Satisfied, he clapped his hands and lightly touched the edge of the circle.

A blinding red glow suffused the room and the prisoner began to tremble. Wisps of what looked like steam rose from him as the alchemical reaction took effect. Homunculus bobbed around happily in its flask; it was gaining the power from the transmutation! The prisoner slumped over soundlessly as his soul was ripped from him and absorbed into the energy of the transmutation. Finally, the light began to flicker and eventually died.

Xerxes glanced around in curiosity, as did the rest of his retainers. He walked back over to the flask and shook it.

"What effect did this array have, Dwarf?"

Homunculus glared at the King before replying, "It doesn't appear that there was any reaction, other than the glow, my King."

Xerxes glanced at the flask in disgust and turned towards the doors. He stopped, however, when he noticed Seren standing there with her hands over her mouth.

Seren whispered, "Father, what did you just do?"

Xerxes peered back at the limp figure lying within the circle. He replied, "Furthering our knowledge of alchemy, my daughter. This circle is now obsolete. Take the Dwarf into my audience chamber."

Seren nodded mutely, still gazing at the poor slave in pity. Sighing, she wrapped her arms around the flask and walked off to do her father's bidding, lost in thought. Homunculus peered up at her face the entire time, black anger suffusing its eye. A thought finally occurred to it and made it open its mouth in a sadistic grin.

"Princess, can I make a suggestion?"

Seren nearly dropped the flask from her surprise, but steadied her arms and instead held the flask up at eye level.

She murmured, "Yes, my creation?"

Homunculus formed an arm and pointed it at a shut door. It said, "Isn't that a storeroom?"

Seren nodded and Homunculus seemed to think for a moment before saying, "I withheld my knowledge of a unique array from your father. It allows the alchemist who activates it the ability to shapeshift. Would you like to try it out?"

Seren pursed her lips and glanced at the flask suspiciously. She replied, "What does it require?"

Homunculus stated, "Nothing, other than the circle to be activated."

She nodded her head and went inside the room. She grabbed a piece of soapstone and began to etch the circle as per her creation's instructions. She wiped her brow upon finishing the complex design. _Maybe what happened was an unforeseeable mistake, _Seren thought. _I can also tell Father of this circle later._ Setting the flask down upon a stand, Seren knelt within the circle, hands hovering over the edge of the array.

Homunculus seemed to energetically bounce in its flask, but stopped moving when Seren glanced back at it.

She asked, "This is reversible, right?"

Homunculus nodded, dancing with joy inside its mind. Seren sighed before clapping her hands and laying them upon the edge of the array. The glow of reaction shocked her; it alternated between the normal blue light of common circles and the red glow of human transmutation circles. The pain hit her then, raking her mind. As she fell to the ground, twitching, Homunculus began to speak joyfully.

"Unluckily for you, Princess, your thirst for knowledge has lead you here. While it might have seemed as if the array that your father created didn't work, it did." Homunculus stopped talking as it pulled back part of its shadow to reveal a flickering red light. "I have the power of a single soul at my command, Seren. I can bypass the law of equivalent exchange enough to send you through time itself!"

As the glow of the reaction became brighter, shocked exclamations were heard from outside the room. Homunculus danced around within its container, reveling in the fact that the one who would have been his greatest adversary was now out of the way.

It added as an afterthought, "You are going to be sent to my plane, however. The guardian there requires a toll for any mortal who dares to pass through! The array will protect you from physical harm, but your memories, on the other hand.." It paused for dramatic effect before continuing, "Your memories will be lost. Farewell, Seren!"

The reaction took effect shortly after that, transforming Seren into a white haired tabby. The portion of the circle beneath her turned red and she fell through the hole. The alchemists burst through the door once the light had faded, but were left with an astonishing sight. The flask stood on the windowsill, as if getting ready to fall over. While one of the alchemists rushed forward to save their Princess's greatest gift, the others stared at the smoking figure of a burnt humanoid that lay in the middle of the array.

_**-Spacer.-**_

The King's grief over his lost daughter overshadowed all others. He banished Homunculus to the very room where his daughter had been lost. A few days passed, and Slave Number 23 finally made his way into the room with a broom, determined to finish cleaning for the day. Homunculus held silent while Number 23 swept the room, clearly engrossed in his task. As Number 23 stopped sweeping in order to take a short break, Homunculus spoke.

"Young man. Yes, you over there."

_What happened to poor Seren? (You get a brownie point for posting your answer in the reviews!) When will Seren reveal what had happened to herself?_

A/N#2: I'm returning back to the hospital for the next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9: Languishing Memories

**Chapter 9: Languishing Memories**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

Al walked at a swift pace towards the room that he had last seen Seren in, frantically wondering whether or not she was alright. As he rounded the corner, Mustang walked into him. Mustang blinked in surprise as he was jolted out of his thoughts and steadied Al. Al took a deep breath, maintaining the façade of outward calm that he had held since leaving Ed's room.

He asked, "Is Seren okay?

Mustang ran a hand trough his hair and replied, "She woke up screaming out your name, for some reason. After a few moments, though, she sat back down with a confused look on her face. She mumbled something about '..not the right circle..', or something to that effect."

Al slowly nodded and pushed the door open as quietly as he could. Seren sat in the chair near the window, looking out towards the southern plains. As the door clicked shut, Seren slightly turned around in her seat to look at him, her hands twisting a handkerchief. Her eyes were red from crying, but she gave him a slight smile. Al walked closer towards her and partially drew the curtain shut, obscuring the view from anybody who entered the room.

He softly asked, "Did you remember something?"

Seren gave a brief start before replying, "A little bit, yes. Do you know of Xerxes?"

Al nodded and stated, "A bit, yes. Brother knows more than me, though. Why do you ask?"

Seren began to reply, but stopped when there was a knock at the door. Ed brushed through shortly after, without waiting for admittance, and Winry darted into the room behind him as he slammed the door shut in Mustang's face. Feeling better, he locked the door and sat on Seren's bed, sighing. Winry sat next to him, Ed's clothes still in her hands. She held out the pile and he turned red before taking the clothes away from her.

Ed asked, "D-did anything fall out of my coat pocket?"

Winry glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, trying to figure out where the sound of muffled laughter was coming from. Seeing that the curtain was partially drawn, she grinned devilishly and looked at the ceiling.

She stated loftily, "I don't know what you're talking about, Ed. Mustang is going to get a laugh out of you later, though."

Ed growled, "Why would that be? I.."

Ed stopped talking, only then noticing that he was wearing a hospital gown. He jumped off of the bed and headed towards the bathroom, growling to himself.

Winry teased, "The Fullmetal Alchemist, of all people, wearing a dress? Makes a nice picture, don't you think?"

Ed's response was to slam the door shut. Finally, Al couldn't contain himself anymore and he began to chuckle, joining in with Winry's giggles. Seren glanced at him in curiosity, not quite understanding what was so funny.

Al said aloud, "Winry, come meet my new friend!"

Winry dryly replied, "Al, you know that Ed doesn't like it when you bring stray cats home." Al heard her get off of the bed and walk towards them. "Still, if.. Oh, my!"

Winry gasped and stopped talking, viewing Seren for the first time. Seren cocked her head at Winry, gauging her reaction. Ed could be heard fumbling around for the doorknob, grumbling to himself. Finally managing to open the door, he walked over towards Winry, the package in his outstretched hand.

Ed began, "I got this for you, Win.." He paused upon seeing Seren, his mouth dropping open in shock. He glanced from her to Al and back to Seren again, eyebrows sharply rising. "Who is this?"

Seren touched Al's arm as he began to speak and stood, facing Winry and Ed. "I take it that you are the Fullmetal Alchemist, correct?"

Ed nodded at her and cocked his head at Winry as she continued, "My name is Seren Soulheart. Do I remind you of somebody?"

Ed had just been contemplating that very thing and was shocked that this waif could have such an astute sense of perception. He agreed and said, "Yes, in fact. You actually remind me of a younger version of a.. lady I once knew. She had black hair, though."

Winry began to glare at Ed, but stopped when Al mouthed _Lust_ at her. She looked at Seren again and nodded.

Seren softly said, "If my memories are anything to go by, I could probably be her ancestor!" Upon seeing their shocked faces, she quickly interjected, "Not that I am, though. Edward Elric, do you know of Xerxes?"

Ed nodded, a bit perturbed by Seren. She looked off into the distance as she began to speak.

"Do you remember the cat that Al brought into your apartment a few days ago before you left for Central?"

Ed and Al both gasped out, "How do you know about her?"

Seren stood and peered at both of them directly before saying, "I am that cat, or rather, I am in my true form, finally. If you were wondering how you lost your Philosopher's Stone, I ate it."

Ed clapped and transmuted his arm, holding the blade defensively in front of him. Al shuddered and started to slowly back away with Winry, but he stopped as a thought occurred to him.

He asked, "Are you a Homunculus, Seren?"

Seren dropped back into the couch, eyes slightly unfocused as she whispered, "Homunculus? How does he know of my creation?"

She held up her hands as Ed began to move towards her and stated, "No, I am not a Homunculus. How do you know of that word?"

Ed snarled, "What do you mean _creation_? There were seven of them! Father created them as a way to expel his human sins."

Seren growled right back at him, "Father? Why would a Homunculus be called Father? My creation was encapsulated in a flask! I created him from the blood of Num.."

She trailed off, taking in the Elric brothers' eyes and hair. _Odd_, she thought. _They look just like him!_ Al was still standing near Seren with a stunned look etched upon his face.

He weakly asked, "Were you about to say Number 23, Seren?"

Seren nodded and Al replied, "My dad was talking about that a few weeks ago. He told me that an entity contained in a glass flask gave him the name of Van Hohenheim. He also told me that that had happened over four hundred years ago, Seren. Just who are you?"

Seren paled a bit at the mention of the years, but drew herself up and crisply replied, "I am the sole child of King Xerxes."

Ed grunted, "Al finally caught a decent stray, hasn't he?"

Al shot right back, "We're friends, Ed. Maybe if you weren't so short, Winry would.." He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as Ed rushed at him, screaming.

_**-Spacer.-**_

Mustang sat in one of the chairs across from the door to the room that Seren, Winry, and the Elric brothers had sequestered themselves in, idly wondering whether or not to blow down the door, while Riza paced the corridor in front of him. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his jet black hair, trying to figure out just who this Seren was. Al was smitten with her; it was obvious! Hawkeye stopped walking and turned to Roy, an eyebrow slightly raised.

He muttered, "I apologize, Riza. I'm still trying to remember what it was that happened in the bar, but I can't!"

Riza eyed him speculatively before stating, "Some secrets just need to be kept a little while longer, Colen.. Roy. You still remember our little talk from earlier, right?"

Mustang shuddered and gave a slight nod, warily eying her hands. Riza sniffed perfunctorily, a light blush covering her cheeks as she realized that Roy was expecting her to draw a gun. She glanced around the hallway and made sure that nobody was looking before dropping down in the chair next to Roy with a sigh. Mustang glanced at her in curiosity, only then noticing the dark smudges underneath her eyes.

He asked, "Are you okay, Riza?"

Riza gave a brief start and nodded slightly. She whispered, "It's just that everything I've held faith in lately has seemed to be falling apart! First we learned about the Fuhrer, then about all of the.. corruption, and finally a girl I've never seen before comes waltzing in and.."

Her mouth snapped shut, only then remembering her promise to Al. Mustang sighed as she slowly shook her head, as if asking him to not go any farther. Roy sighed and nodded, lightly touching the back of Riza's hand with his own. She stiffened, but didn't move her hand.

They jumped out of their seats, however, when the voices in the room went silent for the space of a long breath and abruptly burst into yelling. Roy hoped that nobody was grasping the door handle as he snapped the fingers on his left hand and lit the air around the doorknob on fire. The lock swelled and burst, metal fragments lodging into the door as Roy swept through, Riza on his heels.

They stumbled to a halt, however, upon seeing the sight before them. Winry had Ed in a headlock as he tried to reach Al, who seemed to be lost in thought. Seren stood between them and glanced from one side to the other, trying to figure out why Ed had such a strong reaction to being called short. Mustang coughed and grinned as all four pairs of eyes swiveled to meet his.

His eyes twinkled mischievously as he stated, "Oh, was somebody calling Ed a pipsqueak-sized alchemist? He usually gets riled up over that."

Ed howled, "_Let me at him_, _LET ME AT HIM_!"

Winry sighed and said, "Ed, calm down. You're not helping yourself."

Ed twisted back around to look at Winry in surprise and nodded. She released him and watched as he picked up the package that had fallen out of his coat pocket. Dusting it off, he handed it to her. She carefully opened the letter and gaped at one of the lines.

_Winry,_

_Seeing as to how you lost your last wrench, _

_I went to the trouble of buying you a new one._

_Thanks for going to all of the trouble to help me_

_I (_Smudge_) want you to know that I care about you._

_Yours Truly,_

_Ed_

_P.S. You (_Crossed out_)_..

Winry opened the package and smiled as the light reflected off of a new wrench that she had been staring at in a display somewhere in Central. She waited until he looked away from Roy before hugging him. Ed stiffened slightly and embraced her, too. Seren sighed longingly underneath her breath as the two pulled apart, but caught her breath as she noticed Hawkeye watching her. Riza seemed to grin slightly as she faced Roy.

"Well, Colonel, we have plenty of work to do tomorrow. You need a good night's rest!"

Roy favored Riza with a sour glance, but gulped and nodded as she pointed at the boot where her gun was holstered.

He cheerfully said, "Yes, I guess I do. I'll be seeing you tomorrow, Ed. We have lots of work to do!"

Seren giggled as everybody glared at Mustang. He put his arms over his head and walked out the door, grumbling to himself. Riza shook her head and followed him, waving to the group in the room.

Seren asked, "Where would I be able to stay?"

Winry hooked her arm through Seren's and exclaimed, "Instead of staying at a hotel, you can bunk with us! I don't bite-" Ed coughed slightly, but backed away as Winry tapped her new wrench. She amended, "Much, anyways."

Ya, not one of my better writing pieces. Hopefully everybody will like the next chapter, though!


	10. Chapter 10: Prying Minds

**Chapter 10: Prying Minds**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

Seren mumbled incoherently as a ray of sunshine slipped through the drawn curtains and smacked her in the face. Covering her eyes with a down-stuffed pillow, she counted to twenty before shaking off her blankets and rising. Stretching luxuriantly, she made up her bed and tiptoed down the hallway, wondering where everybody else was. On the little kitchen table, she found a note.

_To Seren and Ed,_

_We went shopping for some more food._

_Don't eat the apple pie, it went bad._

_Al says Hi._

_Winry_

_P.S. Ed, we should really look into those_

_things called refrigerators. Even though Mustang _

_helped to design them, it isn't any reason _

_to not at least try one out. I for one_

_am getting tired of the food spoiling._

Glancing at the trash bin, Seren shuddered before opening the icebox and drawing out a few slightly flaccid carrots. She looked around for the water pump, but couldn't find anything near at hand. Noticing a swiveling handle above what appeared to be some type of hole in the counter, Seren walked over and pushed it to one side. Water began to spew out of the faucet and down the drain in what she now realized was a sink.

Clapping excitedly, Seren lifted a small paring knife off of the side of the wall and chopped off both ends of the carrots. After running them under the water, Seren turned the faucet off and contented herself by sitting in a chair facing the windows and gnawing on her mid-morning snack, enjoying the day. Finishing the last carrot, she walked back over to the sink and washed her hands, drying them on the small towel laying on the counter. As she walked back towards the couch, Ed's voice sounded from down the hall as he tripped over something.

"Gah! Why does Al leave his stuff everywhere?" There was a brief pause as Seren heard him pick up something and continue, "He keeps a diary? Odd.. I wonder what he was writing about."

Pages softly rustled as Ed flipped through a few pages. Ed recited, "_I found a small kitten the other day and.._" His voice went considerably higher as he continued in a singsong voice, "_she was so cute! Her owner ran up a few minutes later, though, so I had to give the kitten back. Brother.._" Ed's voice went back to normal. "_never seems to like it when I bring home strays cats. I guess he doesn't like cute things that are.._" His voice rose into a shriek, "_small, because he feels threatened_!"

Ed growled, "Al is dead when I see him."

The pages rustled again and Ed let out a sharp whistle. "_ Yesterday, I met a girl in the park who seemed to be my age. I haven't ever seen anybody who looked quite like her, besides Lust. Lust doesn't count, though._"

Ed skipped a few pages and continued, "_After the fiasco at the bar, I rode in the ambulance with Seren. Whatever type of alchemy she used on Mustang must have drained her quite a bit, because she was still pale._" Ed wondered aloud, "She's an alchemist? I'll have to ask her about it later."

Seren sighed softly and sat down on the couch, eavesdropping on Ed.

He continued, "_I was afraid for her, but I didn't know what to do. The entire ride to the hospital I.._" Ed's voice dropped slightly, "_held her hand._"

Seren blushed, a tingle running down her spine. Ed snorted as he flipped a few more pages over and closed the book with a snap.

As Seren heard him move towards the bedroom door, she decided to lean against the counter. Ed stumped into the kitchen and stiffened as he saw Seren, an amused look on her face.

He stuttered, "W-what did you hear?"

Seren giggled as she dryly replied, "Everything, my friend."

Ed stuck his tongue out at her and opened the icebox, looking for something to eat. Not seeing anything remotely edible, he slammed the door shut. With a crack, the upper hinge snapped cleanly off. Ed glared at the offending object before clapping his hands and pressing them against it. The blue light from the alchemical reaction glowed briefly as the door reattached itself to the frame. Finishing his transmutation, Ed snapped his fingers as he remembered something.

"Seren, don't you know how to use alchemy?"

She glanced around before replying with a brief, "Yes."

Ed proudly asked, "What type of alchemy do you specialize in? Even though I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist, I can transmute plenty of other stuff. I'm a prodigy!"

Seren grinned slightly before clearing her mind and focusing on the icebox. Ed gasped out loud as the icebox was engulfed in a brief flash of blue light. As the light faded, he could clearly see that delicate carvings of various animals now covered its wooden exterior. His eyes widened in surprise as he also noticed that the hinges were now made of a silvery metal and that the wood was teak from Aerugo.

He quietly stated, "You didn't move when you transmuted the icebox."

Seren shrugged as she replied, "Can't you? I only ever clap when I can't focus my mind enough to use a transmutation."

Ed repeated her words under his breath and sighed as he muttered, "No, I can't."

Seren quipped, "Maybe only tall people know how to, then."

Ed cried out, "I'm not short, I'm just vertically challenged!"

Seren giggled as Ed gave a brief start at what he had just said and murmured it to himself.

She asked, "Did you just confess to being short?"

Ed's face reddened as he shot back, "No!"

Seren waved her hand negligently as she stated, "Winry seems to care from you, in the short amount of time that I've been around both of you. Why haven't you.. Ermm.. Asked her out?"

Ed gaped at Seren in disbelief, but then remembered that she had come from a civilization over four hundred years ago. _Still,_ he thought, _I'm surprised that she was able to see so clearly!_

Aloud, he said, "I will, just not anytime soon. We're happy with our relationship as it is."

Seren nodded slowly to herself, envisioning Winry and Ed walking through a park, holding each others hands. Smiling to herself, she was only dimly aware of Ed speaking until she snapped back to reality with a jolt.

"Wait, what did you just say?"

Ed raised an eyebrow at her as he repeated, "I was saying that Al seems to like you, too."

Seren blushed, thinking about what Ed had said aloud earlier when reading Al's diary. Glancing at the clock, she frowned.

"I wonder when they're coming back. I'm hungry."

_**-Spacer.-**_

"Al, put that little bottle of milk down! You know that Ed hates it."

Al sighed as he took the bottle of milk from the cart and put it back inside the refrigerated dairy section of Central Store. Winry gazed longingly at the frosted doors, but pulled herself away and began making her way towards the produce isle.

She muttered, "I wonder when Ed is going to get rid of that dumb icebox. Don't you think that I could just.."

Al cut her off, as he absently stated, "No, Winry. He of all people would be able to figure out why wrench-shaped dents covered the entire thing. Still, we _do_ need something else."

Winry glanced at Al, trying to figure out what we was thinking. He wasn't exactly sullen, but he seemed to be moping about something. Winry thought, _Maybe he's trying to figure out.. Oh, that must be it!_

"Al?"

"Yes, Winry?"

"What do you think of Seren?"

Al blushed and turned away from Winry, struggling to keep a smile off of his face. Winry crowed silently to herself, _I nailed it!_ Passing the lettuce, she put a few heads into the paper bags conveniently located near the pile of leafy greens. She peered at the carrots and selected a handful, placing them in the bag with the lettuce.

Al finally said, "I don't know. I just met her, and yet it seems as if we've known each other for awhile!"

Winry grinned broadly as she saw Al shifting uncomfortably out of the corner of her eye, wrestling with his thoughts.

She stated, "You do know that Seren seems to be attracted to you, right?"

Al gave a start and jumped into the air. Winry giggled as Al landed on the ground and gaped at her. She thought for a few moments and then turned the cart around, heading back towards the dairy isle.

He asked, "Are you sure?"

Winry clutched her chin with a hand and dryly replied, "I would say that it's safe to assume so. She always stares at you whenever you're around, and you don't do much to deter her."

Al opened his mouth to talk, but Winry interjected, "Spare me the trouble. You don't do _anything_ to deter her. If anything, you seem to welcome her attention, am I right?"

Al nodded at her, his eyebrows rising. Winry chuckled as she continued, "I thought so. As such, I also believe that Seren is even now talking with Ed about me."

Al shuddered and asked, "How do you know what she's thinking of?"

Winry grinned and mysteriously replied, "I'm a woman. We have our ways of knowing things." In an offhand manner, she added, "Besides, it's what I would've done in her position."

They stopped walking and Al glanced around.

"Umm.. Winry? This is where the milk is."

Winry grinned impishly as she gleefully stated, "I know! I told you to put back that little bottle of milk, soo.. Get a huge jug of it! I'll make Ed get the refrigerator this way, _trust me_."

Al rolled his eyes as he opened the door and got a jug of milk.

"How are we going to pay for this? I didn't bring any money."

Winry shrugged and stated, "We'll put it on Ed's tab. The accountant should get a chuckle out of seeing the milk purchase."

_When will Ed buy the refrigerator? When will Seren demonstrate her alchemy even further? What will happen when Ed sees the milk? (Two of those should be in the next chapter.)_


	11. Chapter 11: Prying Minds Part 2

**Chapter 11: Prying Minds Part II**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

_I apologize for the lengthy delay in updates! Hopefully this chapter and the subsequent one will make up for my absence. Enjoy!_

_**A/N #1:**_ I used a different word processor this time, and it seems as if a few things are all moved around. I'll edit it later!

Mustang paced in front of the door to the Elrics' apartment, fuming. After finishing his paperwork under Hawkeye's penetrating gaze, a new report had been plopped on his desk by Armstrong, detailing the incident that had occurred at the bar. One patron had seen the purple flash and still remembered what had happened. Any of those who were engulfed by it had apparently lost their memory from the time when the girl had entered to until she fell asleep fell unconscious along with Mustang.

_At least Armstrong had the presence of mind to give the reports directly to me, _Mustang thought. _There really isn't any reason to get the military involved in this case._ Riza walked around the corner and joined Roy at the door, smiling as he visibly paled. He thought_, Dangit, now she's going to nag me about the paperwork!_

Aloud, Hawkeye dryly stated, "No, Roy. I wanted to talk to Seren, too. If you must know, Al and Winry went shopping earlier, so I figured now would be a good time to do so."

Roy cocked his head and asked, "How did you know that they had left? I posted Fuery as a lookout earlier!"

Riza grinned wickedly as she whistled in a peculiar manner before leaning against the wall, clearly waiting for something. Roy scratched his head and sighed as Black Hayate trotted up the stair and sat on his haunches near Riza, wagging his tail. She bent down to ruffle his head and the dog seemed to let out a sigh of contentment as he curled up next to the door. Roy fought the urge to stick his tongue out at the dog for two reasons: On the one hand, it would be childish. On the other hand, he was fairly certain that Hawkeye would shoot him.

As if reading his thoughts, Riza murmured, "Don't tempt me."

Throwing his hands up in the air, as if bemoaning his fate, Roy sighed. With a last glance at the dog who seemed to be grinning at him, Roy shook his head and knocked on the door a few times. The door was pulled open with enough force to bounce off of the wall. Ed stood a little ways inside the doorway, glaring at Mustang.

He growled, "What do you want, Colonel?"

Roy smirked as he dryly asked, "Didn't you forget something?"

Ed tapped a finger against his forehead a few times before replying, "The paperwork? I'm not your personal servant, Mustang. I've been busy, anyways."

Mustang waved his hand in a negligent manner as he pushed past Ed and into the apartment. Ed began to speak, but instead bit his tongue as Riza walked past him, her eyes twinkling.

She stated in an offhand manner, "Colonel Mustang is on a mission, Fullmetal. Our business doesn't concern you as much as it does Seren. We all want answers, it seems like."

Ed nodded and shut the door after Black Hayate had slipped through. Tugging on a few strands of hair that had come loose from his ponytail, Ed followed Riza into the living room, idly wondering where the conversation was going to lead to.

_**-Spacer.-**_

"Al, how does Seren use alchemy?"

Al glanced at Winry out of the corner of his eyes as he replied, "She told me that her version of alchemy doesn't require a physical circle so much as a mental circle. Ed and I and all of the other alchemists have to use a physical circle in order to use our alchemy."

Winry thought for a second before asking, "But Ed and you just clap your hands and transmute whatever it is that you are trying to change. Why isn't that a mental circle?"

Al chuckled as he said, "The physical act of clapping our hands allows us to activate the circle that we have in our minds. The other alchemists need some form of a circle, whether it is a diagram drawn on the ground with chalk or on their hands in a type of tattoo, in order to activate whichever circle they wish to use."

Winry slowly nodded to herself, absently stepping around a small dip in the sidewalk. Al clasped his hands behind his head and enjoyed the clear spring morning day.

_**-Spacer.-**_

Riza looked decidedly pale as she glanced from Seren's trembling figure to Mustang's blank look of shock, while Ed just kept on flexing his arm, his face dark.

Mustang stuttered, "A-Are you trying to tell me that not only are you the sole survivor of a lost civilization, but the reason why this country was able to be created?"

Seren looked at the carpeted floor as she slowly nodded, her face twisted in anguish. Riza glared at Roy before wrapping her arm around Seren and holding her closely, softly stroking Seren's hair. _To be so young and to wield such an amazing gift_, Riza thought. Mustang drew a shuddering breath and walked to the balcony, disbelief still etched upon his features as he stared into the endless depths of the mid-morning sky. Ed joined him, moodily kicking at a loose piece of railing.

He muttered, It was even worse hearing about her past the second time, now that I believe her."

Mustang shuddered before asking, "Why did Seren glance at you every time she said Slave Number 23?"

Ed growled, "Slave Number 23 was Van Hohenheim's thrall name. He's my father."

Mustang's jaw dropped open in shock as he mumbled, "But, that was over four hundred years ago! Didn't you see him a few weeks ago? How has he lived for so long?"

Ed glared at Mustang as he turned on his heels and stated, "I don't know."

Mustang was silent for a few moments, digesting this new information. He coughed slightly and motioned for Ed to stand closer.

"Hey, Fullmetal. I know that this isn't going to go over very well with you, but.." He hesitated slightly before continuing, "What would you think about Seren becoming a State Alchemist?" Seeing Ed about to speak, he quickly added, "With her permission, of course. I'm not going to force her into a choke hold with it like I did to you."

Ed sighed and muttered, "It's up to her."

As Mustang walked back towards the living room, he told Ed, "I am truly sorry about what has happened, Ed."

With that last cryptic statement, Mustang walked back into the apartment and made his way to where Riza and Seren were sitting. Ed stood on the balcony for a bit longer, staring out into the distance. Sighing, he pulled out his silver pocketwatch and traced his finger along the embellished Dragon. Sighing one last time, he shoved the pocketwatch back into his pants and walked into the apartment.

_**-Spacer.-**_

"Where are we going next, Al? The milk should stay cold for another hour or so at the very least."

Al peered over his shoulder at Winry and shrugged. Winry started moving again, grasping the handle of her portable icebox and dragged it along, pleased at how smoothly it rolled over the sidewalk. _At least the wheel stopped getting stuck,_ she thought.

Al caught her glancing at the wheels and dryly remarked, "What with the wrench-shaped dents that cover the entire thing, I'm surprised that it even moves in a straight line!"

Winry blushed slightly as she patted the wrench at her belt.

"It wasn't my fault that the first wheel was defective!" Al quirked an eyebrow at her, smirking. She amended, "Fine, it _is _my fault that the other three wheels stopped working. Want to smooth the edges out?"

Al sighed and turned around to face Winry. She stepped away from the icebox as Al began to clap his hands, his eyes darting from dent to dent. The trees rustled softly as a slight tremor pulsed through Central. Al clapped his hands and pressed them against the icebox, already envisioning in his mind the blue glow of his transmutation reshaping its exterior and reinforcing the joints of the wheels.

He opened his eyes to a curious sight; the dilapidated icebox still stood in the center of the sidewalk. His brow furrowed in thought as he formed the circle again in his mind before clapping his hands. Nothing happened. Panic set in then, as he remembered that this was the exact same thing that had happened when Father neutralized the Amestrian Alchemy a few months before. Something was wrong.

Winry looked at Al with concern as his face drained of color. She sidled closer to him before asking, "Are you alright?"

Al stared off into the distance for a few moments before processing what Winry had asked. He shuddered before replying, "We need to talk to Ed. I can't use my alchemy."

He started walking towards the apartment at a brisk pace, rapidly leaving Winry behind. She glanced from him to the icebox several times before pulling out a wrench from her belt, aiming for a moment, and then bringing it down upon the recalcitrant wheel. With a sharp _**KLACK**_, the wheel popped back into place. She grasped the handle and hurried after Al.

_**-Spacer.-**_

A rat scurried through the thick cables underneath Central, looking for a morsel of food to eat. Whiskers twitching furiously, it didn't notice the slim shadow that trailed behind it. Finally, the rat came upon a small desiccated husk of bread. Gleefully squeaking, it raced towards its next meal. Right as it began to nibble upon the bread, a slender bladelike appendage shot the the figure behind it and skewered the rat.

Retracting its finger, the figure let out a small sigh before stepping into the dim light that filtered down from the murky ceiling. Glossy black hair cascaded past her slender shoulders in loose curls. A form-fitting dress wrapped around her body and flowed into wispy frills above her ankles. Heeled shoes of black leather suede covered her feet and her eyes were a unique shade of bloody amethyst. A red Ouroboros tattoo was inked above her chest. Her hands were gloved and one of the fingers had a slight red sheen.

Lust absently licked at her blood covered finger as she whispered, "I'm back.."

_Well, yup! I brought my favorite Homunculus back! Stay tuned for Chapter 12: Shadows of Lust (or Lustful Greed.. I don't know which one i like more..)._


	12. Chapter 12: Lustful Greed

**Chapter 12: Lustful Greed**

_Disclaimer: I do not own FMA or any aspect of it (besides Seren Soulheart and any other OCs that I add)._

_Enjoy!_

Chapter 12:Lustful Greed

The pulse of Lust's Philosopher's Stone was a weak throb within her chest, a throb that seemed to slow as the minutes passed her by. Her return was nothing short of miraculous; indeed, she was still trying to figure out if this wasn't some sort of dream, a brief interlude before the pleasantries of life were ripped away and she was to be thrown into one of the Circles of Hell. Resting her hand upon one of the myriad cables that stretched throughout the corridor, she was vaguely startled to find that it pulsed regularly, like the veins of some mechanamagical creature, which only reinforced her belief that she had actually come back to life.

Lust murmured, "Father has immensely grown in power in the relatively short amount of time I have been away! The cables never used to pulse with such a great amount of power, and every few moments at that! He must be planning to do something soon."

A soft cough heralded the arrival of somebody new. The figure was a male of Xingese descent, but with Lust's eye color and an Ouroboros tattoo upon the back of his left hand. He scratched his chin a few times before squatting on his heels and inspecting her. Lust welcomed his scrutiny and seemed to bask in it. She played the part of a demure maiden quite well, even if it was a tad bit suspicious for said maiden to be so far underground, and alone at that.

His first question rocked Lust back on her heels, "Who are you to trespass in Father's domain?"

Lust rapidly composed herself and a hand in front of herself before replying, "I am Lust, one of Father's children."

The man's eyes widened slightly as he snarled, "Then you'll die like the rest of them eventually will!"

He rushed forward in a blinding display of speed, one hand rising at an angle towards Lust's throat. She grinned and stood her ground, waiting for him to draw closer. Right as he began to brush past her outstretched hand, she extended her fingers and lanced them through his body, throwing him back several yards. He stared at the blades lodged in his chest for a few moments in disbelief before lifting his gaze to meet hers. A light seemed to click on in his head, as if he finally remembered something.

He chuckled briefly before rasping, "Isn't this how we parted last time? I seem to recall you doing the very same thing to me when I left Father's group a few decades ago!"

Lust started before gasping, "Greed? Father killed you, though!"

She retracted her fingers from Greed's body and waited for him to speak. Reddish lightning danced along the wounds in his chest as his flesh knit back together. He sighed as the vivid regeneration faded away and stretched.

Greed stated, "You sure haven't lost your touch! That was beginning to tickle as much as it did the last time. Then again," He peered at Lust with a jaundiced eye before continuing, "I also seem to recall it being well below freezing and naked on top of that!"

Lust's eyes danced with a merry light as she gave a sultry laugh and exclaimed, "Ah, but it was well deserved! I hope that it taught you to never try and woo me. It's always the other way around."

Greed winced slightly and changed the subject, "Well, to answer your question, I was brought back by Father. It was indeed most fortuitous that a likely candidate was willing to accept me." He cocked his head, as if listening to another voice and added in an offhand manner, "Oh, yeah. He's one of the Princes of Xing."

Lust raised an eyebrow as she asked, "He _is_?"

Greed nodded and closed his eyes for a few moments. Upon opening them, Lust immediately noticed that they were jet black.

Greed gave Lust a rakish grin as he bowed and stated, "My name is Ling Yao, my most charming lady.." His mouth snapped shut as Lust extended a finger and rested it between his collarbones. He shook his head irritably, as if arguing with somebody, before growling, "Yes, I got that, Greed. You were right; she doesn't like other people telling her that she is beautiful. Now, where was I?" He tapped a finger against his chin a few times, his brow furrowed in thought. Finally, he snapped his fingers, "Ah, that was it! Oh, put a sock in it, Greed. Go bug somebody else."

Lust's eyebrows had risen during this odd exchange, but fell as Ling apparently began to argue with himself. Growing annoyed, she thrust her finger forward, fully expecting it to silence Greeling for at least a couple of seconds. The grayish skin that immediately flowed down his neck stopped it, however.

Ling listened to the other voice in his head for a few more moments before dryly replying, "Well, of course I was fast enough to notice her tensing. I take it that you weren't?"

He burst into laughter after waiting for his reply and Lust joined in, envisioning Greed sticking his tongue out at Ling. She added, "That was how he ended up frozen for a few months over by North City. It is a tale for another time, though."

Ling began to shake slightly after a few moments. He sighed and muttered, "Fine.." before closing his eyes. Upon opening them, they were a purplish color once again.

Greed regarded Lust frankly and asked, "You do know that Father ordered the others to return you to him, right? Apparently you're considered a traitor for harming Roy Mustang. He's one of the 'sacrificial' marks."

Lust blanched, but her face quickly suffused with rage. She growled, "So, you're going to try to take me to him? I'm not going to go down without a fight!" With that last statement, she extended all of her fingers and braced herself for the inevitable battle.

Greed burst into roaring laughter, his eyes streaming from the extent of his mirth. Lust watched in amused disbelief as he wiped his eyes and took a few shaky breaths before straightening.

He dryly remarked, "You're aptly named: all of that lust is going right to your head! I said that I was going to kill you for being a part of Father's group, remember? I cut off my ties to them after.. after.." His eyes grew clouded as he thought about something from his past, but he just shook his head instead and continued softly, "It doesn't matter. Suffice to say, I would be torn apart on the spot if I got too close to Father."

Lust's lips curled into a sneer as she thought about how Greed had always enjoyed the company of humans, even if it _was_ under the pretense of business. Her face softened, however, upon remembering the grief in Hawkeye's eyes after she had been told that Mustang was dead and how Alphonse had been willing to sacrifice his life in order to save her.

Father had experimented with each of his children; Gluttony was a failed Gate of Truth, Wrath aged like other humans, and even Envy had an unusual amount of control over his shapeshifting abilities. Lust had been given the greatest gift of the seven children, besides a keen intellect; a conscience. She acted the soulless killer quite well, but she also knew in her thawing heart that the eventual destruction of Amestris wouldn't be enough for Father. He would keep on trying to attain power until nothing was left, and there was no reason to believe that he would allow his children to live on after they had served their purpose.

_I don't believe that he likes to share_, Lust scornfully thought. _Maybe I have been wrong about these humans They tend to be rather weak physically, but mentally.. I don't think that any of the Homunculi, myself included, can stand up to the drive and determination of the human race. They just pick themselves up each time they fall and continue onwards!_

She retracted her fingers and ran them through her hair before murmuring, "I guess that I don't have a choice in the matter. Getting killed again without any hope of revival just doesn't sound very appealing to me. Living is a tad bit more preferable to that endless dark I was held in."

Greed nodded, wincing as he remembered his own brief foray into the Gate. His eyes lit up shortly after, however, when he considered their situation. He was alone in the world now, except for his other half. His other half still knew that Lan Fan and Fu were waiting for him. All of the people he had met in Amestris were there for him, too.

Lust, on the other hand, had absolutely nobody to turn to. The one other Homunculus that she had felt any kinship towards, Gluttony, had been brainwashed into believing that Lust was an anathema to Father's cause and was to be summarily be put down. Greed also noted that she appeared to be looking even paler than usual, a faint sheen of sweat coating her face as she bit her lip in obvious pain. Her Stone must nearly be depleted, then!

Stepping over to one of the thicker cables, Greed motioned for Lust to come closer. She did so, obviously thinking partly about what Greed was going to set into motion and partly about what a certain blonde-haired alchemist was up to.

He asked almost casually, "You know what runs through these pipes, I'll assume?"

Lust shrugged slightly, "Some form of energy, obviously. Considering how it pulses like a heartbeat, I'll take a guess and say a type of soul."

Greed nodded and said, "Exactly. Basically, it's the purified components of a Philosopher's Stone that hasn't been formed yet. This is how you're going to restore the power of your own Stone."

Saying so, he hardened the skin of one of his hands and ripped a hole in the cable. A lurid red glow suffused the corridor as a torrent of souls spewed out of the confines of the pipe. Lust rushed forward and stood in the center of the soulfont, her arms outstretched. Red lightning danced across her skin as her Stone began to recharge, drawing the new souls in and converting them into pure energy. She knew that it was possible to allow the souls to retain their minds, but she didn't feel like getting nagged until they wasted away.

She surpassed her previous level of power rather rapidly and her form began to alter; Her hair fell in even thicker curls and was shot through with strands of molten silver at regular intervals, while her eyes turned from an odd mix of blood and amethyst to one of deep twilight.

Finally, the torrent of souls began to dwindle and abruptly cut off. Greed waited until Lust had stepped away from the pipe before slicing it in half and crimping both ends. The air seemed to faintly glow around Lust, almost as if her skin was luminous. Greed thought, _I can't believe that the change was so great! If anything, she's even more powerful than she ever was before!_

Lust caught him staring at her and shrugged slightly before murmuring in a musical voice, "I don't really feel all that different, but, I seem to recall something.."

She was interrupted by a dull rumbling that echoed down the corridor. Animalish squeals followed it, almost as if some type of creature had been set loose. Greed stood next to Lust and put his back against hers. Lust glanced at him briefly and grinned impishly, before looking back down the corridor, both hands raised and slightly twisted.

Her eyes danced with a mischievous light as Greed grumbled, "I'm of the opinion that Father felt part of his energy siphoning away. I don't know how he was able to, considering how many of these," He swept a hand that encompassed the corridor and its myriad cables, which Lust saw in her peripheral vision, before continuing on, "pipes are strewn throughout the entirety of Central! That's why the souls stopped pouring out so soon, then.."

Lust rolled her eyes as she dryly muttered, "Yes, Greed. I'll assume that Roy Mustang is in the advancing horde, too? We parted on amiable terms, after all, but I think he still might have a bone to pick with me."

Greed threw his hands in the air as he stated even more aridly, "No need to get snarky! Considering how you paralyzed his friend, stabbed him in the side, and almost killed that sniper chick, I can't imagine why he wouldn't want to.. Actually, he would want to see you again, so nevermind. Ah, there they... ARE?"

Even Lust started as lines of the prototype dummy soldiers rushed at them from both directions, screaming with such intensity that it sent the cables to vibrating. She waited a few more seconds before extending her fingers as quickly as she could and sliced one hand in an arc towards them. The advancing dummies halted and seemed to stare at her. Her eyebrows rose as she looked at her hand and noticed that it was completely devoid of blood. The mystery resolved itself as the dummies split apart, falling in a saggy pile as one to the floor.

Greed had been looking in Lust's general direction and gasped out, "How did you do that? Your fingers were never that sharp before!"

A dummy launched itself at Greed, who covered his entire form in his shielding skin. It bounced off and began to jabber at Greed, who summarily kicked it in the head for good measure and sent it flying. Lust heard footsteps behind her and thrust a hand back with her hand, while simultaneously fending off the dummies in front of her with the other hand. As the last dummy fell, she turned and and clapped her hand over her mouth in surprise, shocked at what she was looking at.

Greed hung several feet in the air, still transformed. Lust's fingers had lanced right through his chest and continued on to impale each of the five rows of dummy soldiers. She retracted her hand and watched in amazement as Greed tumbled to the floor and released his shield, red sparks dancing around him as his wound finally began to regenerate.

Lust held her hands behind her back as Greed mumbled, "I don't think that even Pride would be able to defeat you! If anything..."

An irritated snarl from farther down the corridor effectively silenced him. Envy appeared in the gloom as he stalked closer towards them, a sharklike grin etched across his face.

"My friends..."

_Uh-oh! What will happen when Lust squares off against Envy? (Pure sarcasm. Lust wins over most.) Even further, just who is Lust beginning to resemble..?_


End file.
